In the world of billiards, there are few names that make fans around the world admire Efren “Bata” Reyes – who is known as the “Wizard” of billiards. But no one expected that in a match that seemed to be just a normal exchange, Reyes once again made the whole world hold its breath because of his magical cues that went beyond imagination, especially when his opponent was former female world champion Vivian Villarreal – an icon of women’s billiards with a strong, confident style and a courageous playing style. Surprisingly, Villarreal herself could not believe what she was witnessing when Reyes continuously launched moves that made the whole audience explode with excitement.
From the very first minutes of the match, the atmosphere became different. Vivian stepped onto the table with the demeanor of a champion, determined to show that she was completely capable of confronting the “magic old man” from the Philippines. Her first shots were precise, powerful and technical.
It was clear that she was confident in her abilities and mentally prepared to assert her position as a former world number 1. But perhaps she did not expect that today would not be a normal match. Today was the day when the "Reyes miracle" appeared once again on the billiards table.
When it was Reyes' turn, the audience held their breath. He walked to the table with a calm demeanor, his eyes scanning the ball positions like an artist preparing to paint a masterpiece. And then... the first shot came.
A three-cushion carom that seemed impossible to pocket, but it went in as if Reyes had "talked" to the ball, telling it to go in the right direction. The whole audience exploded. Vivian stood up, exclaiming: "No way!" - impossible! She laughed but also began to sense that something unusual was happening.
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But that was just the beginning. The match then became a true "magic show" of Reyes. He performed a series of tricky shots, artistic ball breaks, and especially "kick shots" to put the ball into the pocket after going through two to three cushions with almost absolute precision. Some shots even made professional players shake their heads, wondering how Reyes dared to do such a thing. The commentator kept exclaiming: "Unbelievable! This man is not real!" - Unbelievable! He is not an ordinary person!
Vivian Villarreal, famous for her strong mental ability, could not help but feel caught up in Reyes' "magic". At one point in the match, she put the cue down on the table, looked at Reyes and laughed: "I came here to play, but I think I'm watching a magic show." - I came here to play, but it felt like I was watching a magic show. It was not a surrender, but an admission that she was witnessing something so magical that it went beyond the realm of ordinary sports.
Reyes was no longer a young man. At over 60 years old, his physical strength was clearly not what it used to be, but his thinking, creativity, and magical hands were still intact. That was why no matter who his opponent was, no matter how big or small the stage, he always dominated the game in his own way. In this match, Reyes used extremely difficult techniques such as masse, swerve, and especially combos that seemed impossible, which surprised not only Vivian but the entire audience.
What made viewers unable to take their eyes off him was the way Reyes combined technique and mentality. He played as if he were telling a story, with each shot being a dramatic chapter. He was not simply playing billiards – he was performing art. A Reyes shot can contain many layers of technique, strategy and surprise – something that leaves opponents unable to react and viewers having to rewind to understand what just happened.
After the match, Vivian Villarreal shared in an interview: “I have played against many good players, but Reyes is a special case. He does not play by the usual rules. He is creative, daring and extremely precise. A true artist on the table.”
The global billiards community quickly spread videos extracted from the match, especially the shots that made the whole audience stand up and applaud. Social media headlines exploded: “Can’t stop watching!”, “Efren is from another planet!”, “This is real magic!” – all as an affirmation that Reyes has once again conquered the hearts of fans not only with victory, but with inexplicable magic.
No one knows how much longer Reyes can play at the top level, but every time he appears, it is not just a match, but a performance that makes time stand still. The match against Vivian Villarreal was not just a technical victory – it was a clear demonstration of the saying: “Form is temporary, class is permanent.”
